Hokulani Bake Shop Adds Sweetness to the Windward Side

November 17, 2013

Story By: Michelle Lee | Photos by: Nathalie Walker

Approximately seven years ago, Hokulani Bake Shop opened its doors and introduced to the public a delightful collection of handmade cupcakes made from only the purest ingredients. Since then, Hokulani has quickly grown to become one of the island’s top-rated bakeries, having received a plethora of accolades from patisserie authorities across the nation, including winning an episode of the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars.”

With public demand at an all-time high, starting this week customers can now order the bakery’s deliciously sugary confections on the Windward side.

“Since so many of our loyal customers come from that area, it made sense for us to open a location at the Wind-ward Mall,” says Tushar Dubey, owner of Hokulani Bake Shop, who runs the business with his wife, Ana. “For so many years people have been making the commute to town or farther, so we wanted to show our appreciation by making ourselves even more accessible.”

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Hokulani is proudly known for its oil-free recipes, as well as cookies and cupcakes that are made entirely from scratch. “We use real butter and sugar and our batter is never frozen,” says Dubey. “This sets us apart from most big-business supermarkets out there whose baked goods usually contain a lot of margarine, shortening and corn syrup to extend shelf life.”

Mocha with Coffee Cream Cheese ($3.50 each)

Green Tea with Citrus Butter Cream ($3.50 each)

Strawberry Short Cakes ($3.50 each)

Flavor favorites include the Strawberry Guava Cupcake ($2.50), Guittard Chocolate Cupcake ($2.50), Paradise Coconut Cupcake ($2.50) and Filled Red Velvet Cupcake ($3.25). Customers may place orders in-store, over the phone as well as on the website for pickup or delivery.

Choosing quality over quantity, Hokulani’s pastry chefs exercise creative freedom and control when coming up with ideas for new cupcakes. “Most of our chefs are born and raised in Hawaii, so they know how to make the most of what the island has to offer, whether it be a whipped lilikoi lemon cream cheese or a refreshing passion fruit puree,” says Dubey. “Above all, we do not skimp on ingredients.”

In addition to providing decadent cookies and cup-cakes, Hokulani is also dedicated to supporting various philanthropic efforts. Starting this month, the patisserie will be donating 50 cents from every cupcake sold — up to $2,000 — to go toward helping the Polynesian Voyaging Society, a local organization currently chartering a canoe on a worldwide voyage. “We really admire their mission to promote Polynesian voyaging because it is an art that speaks to us personally,” says Dubey. “As a small business, it is important that we find ways to contribute to such a great cause.”